Alcala ordered the Bureau of Animal Industry(BAI) to immediately suspend the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance to import the above-stated commodities from Paraguay.

He also ordered the Veterinary Quarantine officers to inspect all ports, stop, and confiscate all shipments of FMD-susceptible animals, their products and by-products into the country originating from Paraguay.

Region XI Livestock Division Chief Rafael Mercado said that this Memorandum order will help the preservation of Mindanao being FMD - free without vaccination since May, 2000 and the whole country since June last year.

He added that the memo was also sent to all Veterinary Offices in the provinces urging them to be vigilant and do the outright inspection of those suspescious meat supplies in their areas.

Mercado also assured that even all meat products from Paraguay will be banned, it cannot affect the meat supply in the country.

“We have enough supply of meat products in the country even without the supply from Paraguay,” Mercado said.

Moreover, Alcala also ordered temporary ban of the importation of domestic and wild birds including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This is due to the official report stated that there was an outbreak of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenz (LPAI) which was detected on the index duck meat grower farm in this place during the surveillance from a healthy flock.

All the shipments of poultry and poultry products (with the exception on heat treated products originating from this country will be stopped. EGDeligero/Aggie Media Service)